Former Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker will pocket a $400,000 retirement check, the bulk from unused sick time, thanks to a generous county policy.

Parker has banked almost 58 weeks of sick leave in his 33 years with the department, county records show. Paid out at his hourly rate of $108.79, that's $250,548. Another significant chunk of the retirement: 803 hours of holiday leave, totaling $87,360.

The longtime director submitted his retirement papers Oct. 30, the same day County Mayor Carlos Alvarez announced a 5 percent pay cut for most nonunion employees.

Had he stayed on longer, Parker said, he would have taken a big financial hit.

``It means 5 percent reduction in my actual payout,'' Parker said before seeing the total retirement payout. ``Everyone has a payout when they leave in terms of annual sick, holiday, comp time -- all of that that's accumulated.''

Parker had an annual salary of $226,000.

Meanwhile, Alvarez said he will start searching for Parker's replacement after the first of the year. Assistant Director James Loftus, a 26-year department veteran, was named interim director. Alvarez said the next director will be picked from within.

-- JENNIFER LEBOVICH

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